Improvement in insoles for boots and shoes



w. A. TEAEUE & G. H. CLARK.

Ill-Soles for Boots and Shoes.

Patented March 3, 1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. TEAeUE AND `GEORGE H. CLARK, or' BEVERLY, MAss. Y

xMPRovEMENT 'IN iNsoLi-:s Foa Boers AND sHoEs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 148,044, dated March 3, 1874; application filed November 20, 1873.

To all whom it may'concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. TEAGUE and GEORGE H. CLARK, of Beverly, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in the I nsoles of Boots and Slices; and we hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a view of a shoe as constructed with our improved insole. Fig. 2is a view of Vour improved insole. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken at the point a., Fig. 1, showing the way of securing our improved insole in the shoe or boot. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, showing the manner insoles of cork and like inferior material are usually secured in boots and shoes.

Like letters represent or'refer to like parts in the dierent figures of the drawing.

Qur invention relates to that class of shoesoles composed ofcork; and consists in a middle or insole of that material saturated with a solution of rubber, and bound as hereinafter ,described ready for use, the object being to supply a demand existing in the trade for an article of this character.

It is well known to all conversant with such lnatters that soles of cork and other inferior materials such as described, are usually concealed next to the inner sole in the boot or shoe by means of a blind or stay, consisting of a narrow strip of leather of a quality and style corresponding with the upper, which strip is iirst sewed or fastened to the inner sole, and then carried down over the cork sole and secured to the outer sole by sewing through and through, as seen in Fig. 4, in which figure A is the upper 5 E, the cork sole; C, the outer sole; and D the blind or narrow strip of leather used to conceal the cork sole, the inner sole of the shoe not being represented; this iigure of the drawing being merely to show the position of the blind or narrow strip D as ordinarily used to retain the cork sole in position and conceal it from sight.

It should be understood that in Fig. 4 the sole E is not attachedto the strip D, but is kept in place by the joint action of the inner sole, (to which it is ,slightly fastened by the few pegs used to keep .it temporarily in posi;

tion-before the outer sole is put on,) and by y the outer sole and strip D.

A shoe `or boot so constructed is very likely to tread over77 in wearing, the cork sole not being kept in position with suflieient stability and iirmness to prevent it. Another objection to such a boot or shoe is that the outer sole, in order to admit of having the strip D sewed to it, as shown in Fig. 4, has to be cut wider than would otherwise be necessary, thus wasting stock and producing a deformity in the shoe.

Fig. 2 represents our improved insole, E being the body of the same, composed of cork. We prepare it by immersion in a solution consisting of india-rubber dissolved in naphtha, or any equivalent hydrocarbon solvent of that gum, until the pores and holes in the saine are filled, thus rendering the sole water-proof. F is a blind or binding of leather, cemented firmly to the edge of the sole, as shown, and extending inwardly toward the center of the same, on both the upper and under sides, for about one-fourth of an inch or more.

The method of using our improved insole, or of combining it with the other parts for1nw ing a boot or shoe, is best seen in Fig. 3, the same being secured in position by the stitches x w extending through the outer sole G, the blind F, the sole E, the upper A, and also through or into the channel ofthe sole (not represented) or inner sole.

A This construction of the sole (see Fig. 2) en.- ables it to be readily used in pegged work,77 and also in boots and shoes construct-ed with cable-screw wire or on a McKay machine.

It will be understood that after the sole is secured in place, as in Fig. 3, the edge or bind ing is tooled or polished, as circumstances may require, a finished shoe having such a sole being represented iu Fig. 1.

We are aware that Letters Patent were granted to one Belcher, February 13, 187 2, and also to one Ware, December 18, 1871,. for im provements in shoe-soles; also, that one Godfrey iiled an application for a patent for animpromement in shoe-soles, April 11, 1857, which application was rejected; but the alleged inventions of said Belcher, Vare, and Godfrey are materially different from ours, as they do not make use of cork previously Saturated The insole described, consisting of a rubber- With rubber, as in our invention, which is very saturated cork body, bound with leather, subessential in preventing the Water from penestantiallyas and for the purpose set forth and trating to the inner sole of J[he shoe, as Well specified. as the absorption of water by the cork sole itself. We therefore do not claim anything XVILLIAM A TEAGUE' whatsoever shown or described in either of GEORGE H' CLARK' said patents, or in said rejected application, Witnesses: when in and of itself considered; but JAMES HILL,

What we do claim is v AUGUsTUs WILLIAMS. 

